You’ll have so much fun teaching this unique Pioneer day song with this The Oxcart Egg Shakers lesson plan! Just shake along with the feeling of the melody and lyrics as you sing and teach the song lyrics. Will you be teaching The Oxcart Primary song (archives) this year for Pioneer Day? This is the perfect activity to help support your learning in a fun way!
The Oxcart Egg Shakers
Sing through The Oxcart once before introducing this activity.
Introduce the egg shaker pattern by demonstrating the two egg shaker actions for the first line. Do you think you can do that with me? Have the teachers pass out egg shakers to the kids in their class. Sing through the first line together.
Sing the next line of the song and demonstrate the left and right shaking pattern. You’ve got it, great job. Let’s try it together from the beginning.
Sing the next line and demonstrate the pattern to shake in a circle. Continue to show them the last two actions. Try all 3 actions as you sing the second half of the song together. Nice job! Let’s start from the beginning.
Sing from the beginning of the song and try all of the egg shaker patterns for the song. Post the egg shakers pattern guide on the board for the children to remember and follow along.
Start again and see if they’ve mastered the pattern.
Invite the children, one class at a time, to come up front to lead the pattern.
The Oxcart Egg Shakers Pattern:
- Steady shake – “Here comes the oxcart” – Shake with a steady consistent pattern
- Slow, slow, slow shake – “Oh, how slow” – Shake slowly one time each word
- Left-right Shake – It’s pulled by an ox, or course you know” – Shake to the left and then to the right and repeat as you sing
- Shake in a big circle like a wheel – “The wooden wheels creak as they roll along” – You can shake individual shakes in a circle or just pull the egg shaker in a circle
- Double shake – “Creak, creak, creak, creak” – Shake twice each time you sing “creak”
- Toss and catch – “Is their song” – Make a small toss and catch the egg shaker
Extension Activities:
- To mix up the action sequence, you can use the egg shaker cards and rearrange them into a new pattern to try! There are two bonus actions you can add including Fast Shake and Kids Choice – let the kids pick an action for this card!
- Try the pattern at an extra slow speed. How about a faster speed? How does the speed change the feeling of the actions?
- Have the children come up with their own actions to match the song lyrics.
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this The Handcart Song Paper Plates pattern singing time activity!
The Oxcart Egg Shakers Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes a 1-page pattern guide to help you lead the pattern.
This activity has extended printables including a larger 3-page pattern guide. Egg Shaker action cards in 1/4 and full page. You’ll find these bonus files included in The Oxcart teaching packet in my shop.
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For another fun activity to help you teach this song, you’ll love this visual The Oxcart Fill in the Picture idea. Can the children help you complete each picture scene?
What other fun ways will you use this egg shaker singing time activity in your Primary room?
